Holinshed's Chronicles, Volume V: Scotland, page 266

were inclosed) at length when he saw how he could neither defend the hold anie longer against his enimies, nor yet vpon surrender be suffered to depart with life saued, hée first slue his wife and children, and lastlie himself, least if he had yeelded simplie, he should haue béene executed in most cruell wise for an example to others. Makbeth entring into the castell by the gates, as then set open, found the carcasse of Makdowald lieng dead there amongst the residue of the slaine bodies,* which when he beheld, remitting no peece of his cruel nature with that pitifull sight,* he caused the head to be cut off, and set vpon a poles end, and so sent as a present to the king, who as then laie at Bertha. The headlesse trunk he commanded to bée hoong vp upon an high paire of gallowes.

    Them of the westerne Iles suing for pardon, in that they had aided Makdowald in his tratorous enterprise, he fined at great sums of monie: and those whome he took in Lochquhaber, being come thither to bear armor against the king, he put to execution. Hereupon the Ilandmen conceiued a deadlie grudge towards him, calling him a couenant-breaker, a bloodie tyrant, & a cruell murtherer of them whome the kings mercie had pardoned. With which reprochfull words Makbeth being kindled in wrathfull ire against them, had passed ouer with an armie into the Iles, to haue taken reuenge vpon them for their liberall talke, had he not béene otherwise persuaded by some of his friends, and partlie pacified by gifts presented vnto him on the behalfe of the Ilandmen, séeking to auoid his displeasure. Thus was iustice and law restored againe to the old accustomed course, by the diligent means of Makbeth. Immediatlie wherevpon word came that Sueno king of Norway was arrived in Fife with a puissant armie, to subdue the whole realme of Scotland.